It is hoped that the black plastic tops will give the pope's army cooler and more comfortable headgear when standing guard for hours at a time.

Thirty-two new recruits - all of them single Swiss men under age 30 and practising Catholics - will join the small corps on May 6 for a minimum two years by pledging to protect the pope and his successors.

Established in at the beginning of the 16th century, the pontifical guard serves both as a ceremonial unit and a body guard.

They made the international news headlines 20 years ago when the newly-named commander of the guard and two other people were found dead.

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